SPECIFIC AIMS ? Pilot and Feasibility Program: The Pilot and Feasibility Program provides modest research support for a limited time (usually one to two years) to enable eligible investigators to explore the feasibility of a concept related to the mission of the NORC and generate sufficient data to pursue it through other funding mechanisms. The pilot and feasibility studies are intended to: 1) Provide support for new investigators seeking to test a new hypothesis or idea related to nutrition/obesity. 2) Allow exploration of possible innovative new directions for established investigators already working in the nutrition/obesity field. 3) Stimulate investigators from other areas to participate in nutrition/obesity research. Pilot and feasibility study support is not intended for large projects by established investigators that would otherwise be submitted as separate research grant applications, nor is it intended to provide bridging support. Pilot and feasibility funds are also not intended to support or supplement ongoing funded research of an investigator. ------- List of abbreviations ----- CRISPRs clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats DDRCC Digestive Diseases Research Core Center DRC Diabetes Research Center ER Endoplasmic Reticulum FFA Free Fatty Acids IPH Institute for Public Health MAO Metabolically Abnormal Obese MEF Mouse Embryo Fibroblasts NIDDK National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases NIH National Institutes of Health NAMPT Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase NORC Nutrition Obesity Research Center P&F Pilot & Feasibility PI Principal Investigator UCLA University of California, Los Angeles WT Wild-Type WU Washington University WUSM Washington University School of Medicine